Abstract:
Howard Berke's vision is to use nanotechnology to make photovoltaics—the process of turning sunlight directly into electricity—cheap, lightweight, and widely available. Imagine molecules embedded on material as thin and flexible as plastic wrap, converting indoor and outdoor light into power—and doing it all without noise, moving parts, fuel, or pollution. "I saw this as a chance," says Berke, "of changing the lives of millions of people."